NECK PAIN 

Done by the Physiotherapist

These calm pain and prep the neck for exercise:

- *Manual therapy*: Joint mobilization, soft tissue massage, myofascial release to loosen stiff joints and tight muscles

- *Thoracic/cervical manipulation*: Quick, controlled movements to the upper back and neck. Works well for acute/subacute neck pain

- *Electrotherapy*:

    - *IFT* for pain relief and muscle spasm

    - *Ultrasound* for deep tissue healing and stiffness

    - *TENS* for pain modulation

    - *Low-level laser* shows moderate evidence for chronic neck pain relief

- *Heat/Cold therapy*: Heat relaxes tight muscles, ice reduces acute inflammation

- *Cervical traction*: Gentle pulling to decompress discs and nerves, especially if you have radiculopathy.

2. Active treatments - you do them

The key part for long-term relief:

*Posture & Mobility*

- *Chin tucks*: Strengthen deep neck flexors, fix forward head posture

- *Neck ROM exercises*: Gentle flexion, extension, rotation, side bends to restore movement

- *Scapular retraction*: Strengthens upper back to support the neck. Works as well as McKenzie method for forward head posture.

*Strength & Stability*

- *Isometric neck strengthening*: Safe for early stages

- *Upper back/shoulder strengthening*: Reduces load on neck

- *Endurance exercises*: Chin tucks with gravity/against gravity for subacute cases.

*Motor control & Proprioception*

- Exercises with laser-guided feedback to retrain neck position sense

- Neuromuscular training for coordination and posture.

3. What a typical plan looks like

*Acute neck pain*: Focus on pain relief first - thoracic manipulation, gentle ROM, heat/ice, IFT/TENS. 1-2 sessions often help.

*Subacute/Chronic*: Shift to multimodal approach:

- Manual therapy + exercise 2-3x/week for 4-8 weeks

- Mix of stretching, strengthening, endurance, aerobic conditioning

- Posture correction and ergonomic advice.

4. Things you can do at home

- *Chin tucks, upper trap stretch, scapular retraction* 3x/day

- *Posture checks*: Screen at eye level, sit with ears over shoulders

- *Ergonomic tweaks*: Adjust pillow, workstation, avoid holding phone between ear/shoulder

- *Low-impact cardio* like walking or swimming keeps tissues healthy without jarring the neck.

When to see a physio ASAP

If you have numbness/tingling down the arm, weakness, severe headache, or pain after trauma. They’ll check for nerve compression or red flags before starting.

Both *scapular retraction exercises* and *McKenzie method* show large improvements in pain and disability for forward head posture, with no clear winner.

What’s causing your neck pain - posture, injury, or something else? I can narrow this down to a 10-min daily routine for that specific case.

WhatsApp Contact.  For Our Treatment Services